Alexithymia and non-treatment. an Internet based study of 312 people with chronic anxiety

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Alexithymia and non-treatment. an Internet based study of 312 people with chronic anxiety. / Rufer, Michael; Moergeli, Hanspeter; Moritz, Steffen; Drabe, Natalie; Weidt, Steffi.

in: COMPR PSYCHIAT, Jahrgang 55, Nr. 1, 01.01.2014, S. 179-187.

Publikationen: SCORING: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift/ZeitungSCORING: ZeitschriftenaufsatzForschungBegutachtung

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@article{232e55b174d143309e16955a391bac83,
title = "Alexithymia and non-treatment. an Internet based study of 312 people with chronic anxiety",
abstract = "BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of highly efficacious treatments, many individuals with anxiety disorders never receive adequate treatment. Alexithymic deficits, such as difficulties in recognizing feelings and focusing on emotional experiences, may contribute to low rates of help seeking.METHODS: Multiple Internet-based strategies (announcements of anxiety disorder websites, postings in online self-help forums, notices in anxiety chat rooms) were used to recruit a sample of 312 participants with chronic and clinically relevant anxiety symptoms. Those who had never received professional treatment (n = 49) were compared to those with current or previous treatment (n=263) with regard to alexithymia, anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life.RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that the strongest predictor for belonging to the never treated group was the externally oriented thinking facet of alexithymia. In addition, substantially more participants in the never treated group (49%) were considered high-alexithymic (20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale total score ≥ 61) compared to the treated group (35%).CONCLUSIONS: The main finding was a strong relationship between the externally oriented thinking facet of alexithymia and the non-use of professional help for anxiety. Internet-based programs could be a promising first step in supporting this group of people to overcome their anxiety.",
keywords = "Affective Symptoms, Anxiety Disorders, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Internet, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Psychometrics, Severity of Illness Index",
author = "Michael Rufer and Hanspeter Moergeli and Steffen Moritz and Natalie Drabe and Steffi Weidt",
note = "{\textcopyright} 2014.",
year = "2014",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.06.007",
language = "English",
volume = "55",
pages = "179--187",
journal = "COMPR PSYCHIAT",
issn = "0010-440X",
publisher = "W.B. Saunders Ltd",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Alexithymia and non-treatment. an Internet based study of 312 people with chronic anxiety

AU - Rufer, Michael

AU - Moergeli, Hanspeter

AU - Moritz, Steffen

AU - Drabe, Natalie

AU - Weidt, Steffi

N1 - © 2014.

PY - 2014/1/1

Y1 - 2014/1/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of highly efficacious treatments, many individuals with anxiety disorders never receive adequate treatment. Alexithymic deficits, such as difficulties in recognizing feelings and focusing on emotional experiences, may contribute to low rates of help seeking.METHODS: Multiple Internet-based strategies (announcements of anxiety disorder websites, postings in online self-help forums, notices in anxiety chat rooms) were used to recruit a sample of 312 participants with chronic and clinically relevant anxiety symptoms. Those who had never received professional treatment (n = 49) were compared to those with current or previous treatment (n=263) with regard to alexithymia, anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life.RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that the strongest predictor for belonging to the never treated group was the externally oriented thinking facet of alexithymia. In addition, substantially more participants in the never treated group (49%) were considered high-alexithymic (20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale total score ≥ 61) compared to the treated group (35%).CONCLUSIONS: The main finding was a strong relationship between the externally oriented thinking facet of alexithymia and the non-use of professional help for anxiety. Internet-based programs could be a promising first step in supporting this group of people to overcome their anxiety.

AB - BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of highly efficacious treatments, many individuals with anxiety disorders never receive adequate treatment. Alexithymic deficits, such as difficulties in recognizing feelings and focusing on emotional experiences, may contribute to low rates of help seeking.METHODS: Multiple Internet-based strategies (announcements of anxiety disorder websites, postings in online self-help forums, notices in anxiety chat rooms) were used to recruit a sample of 312 participants with chronic and clinically relevant anxiety symptoms. Those who had never received professional treatment (n = 49) were compared to those with current or previous treatment (n=263) with regard to alexithymia, anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life.RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that the strongest predictor for belonging to the never treated group was the externally oriented thinking facet of alexithymia. In addition, substantially more participants in the never treated group (49%) were considered high-alexithymic (20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale total score ≥ 61) compared to the treated group (35%).CONCLUSIONS: The main finding was a strong relationship between the externally oriented thinking facet of alexithymia and the non-use of professional help for anxiety. Internet-based programs could be a promising first step in supporting this group of people to overcome their anxiety.

KW - Affective Symptoms

KW - Anxiety Disorders

KW - Female

KW - Health Surveys

KW - Humans

KW - Internet

KW - Male

KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care

KW - Psychometrics

KW - Severity of Illness Index

U2 - 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.06.007

DO - 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.06.007

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 23916091

VL - 55

SP - 179

EP - 187

JO - COMPR PSYCHIAT

JF - COMPR PSYCHIAT

SN - 0010-440X

IS - 1

ER -